They started well, causing problems early on and winning a short corner that stopper Andy Burton had the composure to send goalwards for Hammad Jalal to skilfully deflect into the bottom corner. They were close to adding a second soon after when captain, Scott Gibbons unleashed a fierce undercut effort from the top of the ‘D’ only to see it crash back off of the post.

Unfortunately for Crawley their lead was short lived. Lewes applied pressure at short corners; one being expertly deflected round the post by Indy Saraw, but another shortly afterwards found the bottom corner beyond goalkeeper Lewis Cordingley.

At half time, Gibbons impressed on his team the importance of starting the second period quickly and that they did, Karl Bass thundering a flick past the Lewes goalie from a short corner. Crawley looked good with their full backs; Saraw and Simon Teale getting forward well in support and centre back pairing Ian Berry and Priyesh Patel snuffing our Lewes counter attacks with ease. Unfortunately Crawley couldn’t hold the lead again, with Lewes scoring from another clinical short corner.

Crawley showed more spirit to rally again. Hammad Jalal, Nick Bennett and the returning Liam Mulcahy showing good energy in the midfield and Man of the Match, Johnny Lewis-Brown always a threat in possession. A deserved, third Crawley goal came with skipper Gibbons perfectly weighting a ball through to meet the sublime run from the right of Rob Payne. Payne’s touch a delightful one beyond the despairing keeper.

Crawley toiled for a killer, forth goal but couldn’t quite convert their chances and another Lewes short corner allowed a third equaliser of the game, with only eight minutes remaining. Crawley threw everything they had at Lewes and just when it seemed like on of those days, they won a short corner and Bass once again delivered the goods; finding the roof of the net. Crawley weren’t done there, winning another short corner and allowing Bass to convert a carbon copy finish to round off his hattrick and a deserved; if not always convincing win for Crawley 2’s.

Next up is an away trip to East Grinstead 3’s, where they hope to exorcise the demons of their 17-2 cup defeat to their second team.

Crawley squad: Gibbons (c), Cordingley, Teale, Berry, Patel, Saraw, Payne, Bass, Jalal, Bennett, Lewis-Brown, Mulcahy, Burton.